Over the years, aluminium railing systems have become increasingly popular due to their relatively low cost combined with the vast number of innovative designs offered by manufacturers. The maintenance of these systems is very easy compared to wood or other competing materials. In addition to balustrades, aluminium railing systems (also referred to aluminum railing systems) are now also used extensively for other purposes, such as fences, ornamentations, etc.
In most railing systems, the balusters, hereafter generically referred to as pickets, are spaced apart between two parallelly disposed rails. The connection between the pickets and the rails involve screws or rivets connecting at least some of the pickets while other pickets can simply be held in place using intermediary spacers inserted in the rails.
One of the challenges when designing railing systems, in particular those made of aluminium, is to suitably connect the pickets and the rails together while still offering an aesthetically pleasing aspect and minimizing the costs. Room for further improvements always exists.